Testicle tanning can help with testosterone levels and vigour, according to one man who has been doing it for years.
Testosterone levels are dropping due to a lack of vitamin D, especially in northern Europe.
Founder of the Tantric Academy in Thailand, Steffo Shambo joined Moncrieff to explain why he's been exposing his sensitive area to the sun's rays.
Steffo Shambo. Picture by: tantricacademy.com"I've been teaching sexuality and tantra for a very long time now, and that's something that is more common in eastern traditions - such as Daoism and things like that.
"That's something they have been practicing in their tradition for a long time.
"I heard it while I'm studying tantra and eastern Asian traditions and spirituality".
Steffo explains: "In Daoist tradition it has been practiced as a way of gaining vigour, and health and strength and masculinity."
But he says the way it's done has changed.
"Back then they didn't have tanning devices like we have today.
"So they would use the direct sunlight: so they would basically be sunbathing nude, opening their legs and exposing their testicles towards the sunlight.
"The best way is just to go in your backyard where you can have some privacy.
"You lie down on your back, you spread your legs a little bit and there you go".
A young man lying on a beach in 2012. Picture by: Oleksiy Maksymenko Photography / Alamy Stock PhotoHe says some studies suggest sun exposure to the testicles can increase testosterone levels "by 200%".
"Since men today are diminishing in testosterone, it's a really great, natural way to boost that.
"And don't take my word for it - just try it out yourself.
"I usually feel very invigorated afterwards, full of energy the whole day and feel really that I get a strong libido afterwards".
Asked if an even tan is important, Steffo says aesthetics don't really matter.
"It's not so much [about] the tan, it's just a modern word of saying 'testicle tanning'.
"But the original way of saying it is testicle sunning: it's just to get the vitamin D and the testosterone from the sun rays."
But he has this advice for Irishmen: "Use common sense, don't overdo it - you don't want to burn yourself.
"Especially Europeans are quite pale many times, right, so you want to take it easy in the beginning and ease into it".
